The True Value of Time: A Jewish Perspective on Time, Purpose, and Eternity

If your watch stops working, does that mean that time has stopped? What if all the clocks in the world stopped working?

Of course, even without a clock we would still notice that time is passing, because, like a watch, anything that operates in cycles can serve as a measure of time. The Earth's rotation in relation to the sun is an example of this, as we know that in twenty-four hours the sun will be in the same position it is now, thus marking a full day. But what if this motion stopped? This has happened in our history, when Joshua asked God to give him more time to defeat his enemies. Did people feel time passing during that moment? Absolutely! Even though the sun stood still, life continued moving. The water flowed, plants continued photosynthesizing, and people kept breathing and carrying out their daily activities.

Imagine a day when everything stops: people freeze in place, the air becomes still, nothing cycles — not the stars, electrical currents, electrons, protons, and neutrons, all become completely static and material movement halts. Further, imagine that there is no mental or spiritual movement — no one thinks or feels anything and everything freezes. At that point, time itself would stop. If you understand this logic, it becomes clear that time is made up of motion, which leads us to a few questions: Where did time come from? Has it always existed? Will it last forever?

The Origin of Time

Have you ever thought about whether the universe has an end? Great philosophers have tried to solve this question, but it’s one that human intellect struggles to answer. Our minds can’t truly grasp infinity, yet at the same time, we can’t comprehend a definitive end to the universe. We always ask, “What’s beyond that end?”

The same applies to time. Does it have a beginning and an end? If we try to answer this question using only logic, we run into the same dilemma. Let’s explore what the Torah teaches about time and its origin.

Time, as we know it, began on the first day of creation, over 5,785 years ago, as it is written: “And it was evening, and it was morning, one day” (Genesis 1:5). At that moment, the first movements in history took place: the creation of the world’s raw materials and the first movement of light on Earth, distinguishing the first day from the first night. Thus, time — dependent on material motion, indeed had a beginning. What was before that?

Before the world’s creation, nothing existed except for God, who has always existed. What does it mean that He has no beginning or end? How is that possible? Essentially, God exists beyond the concept of time. This is possible because, being perfect, He never changes in any way. This idea is easier to understand when we accept that God is perfect. There is only one state of perfection, and if it were to change, it would imply that there was some flaw, or that a flaw had appeared. Therefore, when speaking about God, the concept of movement does not apply. God does not change or move, and what does not move is not bound by time. Hence, terms related to time — such as past, present, future, beginning, end, do not apply to God. God is eternal.

It’s certainly difficult to grasp the notion of God’s eternity, just as it’s difficult to comprehend an end to the skies. However, just as you can accept that the heavens might be endless, you can believe that God has no boundary of time.

Past, Present, and Future

Time consists of three dimensions: past, present, and future, and this dynamic directs our development. We strive to say, “Today I am better than I was yesterday, and tomorrow I will be even better.”

This dynamic also enables the system of cause and effect in the world, allowing for justice to exist: everything I do today will result in future consequences. God promises that every action will have a just outcome, if not in this world, then in the next. There is a present moment, where actions are performed, and a future moment, where the outcomes will manifest.

What about the past? The past only exists if it is remembered by someone. Without memory, the past would not exist and would have no meaning. The purpose of the past is for us to remember it and learn from it (although, repentance is a unique creation through which the past can truly be erased. Genuine repentance and remorse can transform a person into someone new, rendering his past sins nonexistent, as though they never occurred).

The Role of Time

Now that we understand the nature of this powerful tool called “time,” let’s see what its purpose is and how we can use it more effectively.

Time is essential for effort to exist. Consider a student who must write an essay for school. What does he need? A pen, paper, a hand, a brain, and knowledge. Beyond all that, he needs time: to develop his knowledge, filter what is relevant, organize his thoughts, and transform his ideas into a written essay. Without time, this process would be impossible and effort would have no meaning. Without time, the teacher might as well hand the student a completed essay to return. Similarly, God could have given humans their reward directly, without providing time or life in this world for them to earn it.

Time also tests a person’s faith in God. God wants people to wait for Him, to hope and believe in Him. Waiting and patience are part of our mission. One of Judaism’s most fundamental commandments is to await the redemption and strive to hasten it. Without the existence of time, the Jewish people would lack the opportunity to develop patience and faith in God. When we wait for something, we learn to appreciate it more. The patience inherent in waiting is a demonstration of love.

Valuing Time More Deeply

The human challenge is to know how to use time in the best possible way.

The first step is to recognize that life has an end, and that it isn’t far away. Most people live as if their lives are eternal. They aim to accumulate money and settle into the most comfortable life possible. The older one gets however, the more he understands how short life really is. A child lives with the illusion that life will never end, but a few years later, he begins to realize that time slips away and cannot be stopped.

A teenager may look at a 27-year-old with two children, and think that age is a distant reality, not worth worrying about now. In fact, time advances faster than we imagine. A similar feeling overtakes someone turning thirty, who doesn’t yet worry that he will one day be seventy. As time passes, the end draws nearer, and a person feels compelled to reflect on the values and meaning of life, considering what must be done.

The danger is that these questions arise too late, when there’s little time left to act, leaving the person with a deep regret that he wasted life’s most precious gift of time!

The second step is to appreciate the value of time. Imagine that someone tells you that tomorrow morning, they’ll deposit $86,400 into your bank account. From that moment on, every passing second will subtract one dollar and if you do nothing, by the end of the day, you’ll lose all that money.

What would you do? Most likely, you’d wake up at midnight, rush to the mall to buy whatever you want and need, and rest only after you’ve used every penny. Right? Well, here’s some good news: you’re already receiving a far greater gift — tomorrow, you’ll get 86,400 seconds. Believe me, each second is worth far more than a dollar! With that one second, you could right every wrong you’ve ever done, mend relationships, and become a better person. You could donate money that could save a school, raise a genius who might cure diseases, or influence countless families to live meaningful lives.

In our minds, an action seems momentary, but through a deeper lens, a good deed is eternal. In the next world, where physical boundaries do not exist, you’ll see that an action performed in a single second becomes an inseparable part of you for eternity.